Sealed Rotor Valve Engine

ABSTRACT

A rotary engine powered by external heat with a gas that is reactive to temperature sealed inside a casing where a portion, of the sealed in gas is heated and expands within a chamber on one side of the engine and is separated by a partition from another portion of the gas which is cooled and contracts within a chamber on the opposite side of the engine as the heated gas pushes the partition which rotates a rotor while simultaneously the cooled gas pulls the partition and every 180° of rotation the heated gas moves over the rotor to the cooling side of the engine while the cooled gas moves under the rotor through a valve to the heating side of the engine.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to simple rotary engines that are sealed and powered by heat, and constructed with modem materials and techniques.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern concerns with the need to reduce chemical and noise pollution of the atmosphere have revived interest in heat powered engines. This form of engine was first invented in 1816 by Robert Stirling. Its early development was hampered by a lack of materials with sufficient strength and corrosion resistance at high temperatures and a lack of suitable materials and techniques for gas sealing. For this reason it was unable to compete with the steam engine or the internal combustion engine even though it may be capable of higher thermal efficiency, be much quieter and may produce far less atmospheric pollution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A sealed rotary engine consisting of a rotor that functions as a valve and controls the transfer of the gas within the engine, a partition that separates heated gas from cooled gas, and a compatible oil, these parts rotate within a cylinder that uses lobes that are part of its shape, and transfer grooves formed into the casing end plates, this invention fills a requirement for a power source that is simple, efficient, produces low emissions, can run on multiple fuels and is easily manufactured using modem materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is an end view of the sealed rotor valve engine with one casing end plate removed; this view shows the rotor valve and partition at a horizontal position.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the sealed rotor valve engine with one casing end plate removed; this view shows the rotor valve and partition at 45° past the horizontal position.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the sealed rotor valve engine with one casing end plate removed; this view shows the rotor valve and partition at 90° past the horizontal position.

FIG. 4 is an end view of the sealed rotor valve engine with one casing end plate removed; this view shows the rotor valve and partition at 135° past the horizontal position.

FIG. 5 is an exploded top view of the sealed rotor valve engine; this view shows the rotor valve and partition at a horizontal position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to FIG. 1 through FIG. 5 of the preferred drawing.

The engine casing 11 encloses the internal moving parts. On the left side of the engine casing 11, between the marks indicated by arrows is the heat location 12, this shows where heat is applied to the surface of the engine 10. The heat can be applied directly as it is being generated or generated remotely then transferred to the heat location 12. The heat can come from a single or multiple heat sources, some examples are: direct flame, solar heating, the exhaust heat from an internal combustion engine, or chemicals mixed together to generate the heat. On the right side of the engine casing 11 between the marks indicated by arrows is the cool location 13, this shows where cooling is applied to the surface of the engine 10. Cooling can be applied directly as it is being created or created remotely then transferred to the cool location 13. The cooling can come from a single or multiple cooling sources, some examples are: air, water, evaporator cooling, radiator, or chemicals mixed together to create the cooling.

The cylinder 14 is the inside surface of the engine casing 11, the upper portion is semi-round and the lower portion has lobes 15. The hot chamber 16 is the location inside the engine 10 where the gas 37 is heated. The cold chamber 17 is the location inside the engine 10 where the gas 37 is cooled. The heated gas 37 remains on one side of the partition 18, separate from the cooled gas 37 on other side. The volumes of the hot 16 and cold 17 chambers will continuously change as the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 rotate.

The partition 18 is part of the rotor valve 22 function. As the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 rotate, the partition 18 follows the contour of the cylinder 14 and slides within the rotor valve slot 23. Both partition tips 19 maintain continuous contact with the surface of the cylinder 14 and are rounded to fit the tightest contour. The partition 18 does not change its overall length however the partition tips 19 can be made flexible or pliable to maintain a seal. The lobes 15 expand the lower portion of the cylinder 14 to provide relief for the partition 18 so it can rotate and slide without binding. The partition face 21 is the surface of the partition 18 that faces into the hot chamber 16 and is exposed to the heated and expanding gas 37.

The rotor valve 22 sits between the cylinder lobes 15 and it is offset to one side in the cylinder 14 to allow the rotor valve surfaces 25 to become very close to the cylinder 14 surface during rotation this creating a seal during operation. The rotor valve 22 has two notches 24 and two surfaces 25 that open and close a passageway as they rotate past the bottom of the cylinder 14. As the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 rotate The partition edges 20 and the rotor valve ends 26 continuously slide against the inside surface of, the casing end plates 29. The axle bases 27 hold the rotor valve 22 together as one piece and protrude from the rotor valve ends 26. The axles 28 are attached to, and are a part of, The axle bases 27 and rotor valve 22, they all move together as a single part. The axles 28 penetrate through the axle holes 33 and protrude from the outer surface of the casing end plates 29.

The casing end plates 29 enclose the cylinder 14 and keep the internal parts in their perspective alignments. The transfer grooves 30, axle base impressions 31, bearing and seal impressions 32, and axle holes 33 are all part of the shape of the casing end plates 29. The transfer grooves 30 connect the upper portion of the cold chamber 17 with the lower portion by allowing trapped gas 37 to be transferred past the partition 18 when necessary during operation. In the drawing the transfer grooves 30 are shown as indentations into the inside surface of the casing end plates 29, however The transfer grooves 30 can also be indentations into the surface of the cylinder 14. The axle base impressions 31 are the cavities on the inside of the casing end plates 29 that the axle bases 27 fit into. The clearances between the axle bases 27 and the axle base impressions 31 are very close although the parts do not touch. The bearing and seal impressions 32 are cavities inside the casing end plates 29 that the bearings 34 and the seals 35 fit into. The clearances between the bearing and seal impressions 32 and the bearings 34 and seals 35 are very tight, the parts touch with just enough pressure to hold the bearings 34 and seals 35 in place.

The seals 35 keep the oil 36 and pressurized gas 37 inside the engine 10. The bearings 34 keep the axles 28 and rotor valve 22 in position during rotation. The bearings 34 can be solid type bearings 34 or roller type bearings 34. The clearances between the solid type bearings 34 and the axles 28 are very close; the parts touch but with light enough pressure to allow the axles 28 to spin freely. The inner races of roller type bearings 34 and the axles 28 touch with enough pressure to hold the inner races in position on the axles 28. The bearings 34 are shown on the inside of the seals 35. This allows the bearings 34 to be lubricated by the oil 36, however the bearings 34 can also be placed on the outside of the seals 35.

The oil 36 provides lubrication and seals the narrow gaps between the internal moving parts. The gas 37 is reactive to temperature changes, it expands and increases in pressure when heated and contracts and decreases in pressure when cooled. The gas 37 is pre-pressurized in the engine 10, the higher the pressure of the gas 37, the denser it will be and the more it will react to the heating and cooling. The gas 37 can be a single gas 37 or it can be a mixture of gases 37. The gas 37 and oil 36 are compatible with each other, and the engine 10 parts.

The sealed rotor valve engine 10 can be constructed by many different methods using a variety of different materials. The engine 10 parts can be made from metal, ceramics, plastics or composite materials. The parts can be cast, forged or machined and may be coated or plated to increase their function and durability. The general construction of the engine 10 is simple with only two moving parts and only five primary mechanical parts. The rotor valve 22, axle bases 27 and axles 28 can all be made at the same time as one part, or they can be made separately then attached together to make one part. The bearings 34 and seals 35 can be made as part of the casing end plates 29, or acquired as pre-manufactured then installed during assembly. The oil 36 can be added during assembly or later, and the gas 37 can be added after assembly. The axles 28 of two or more sealed rotor valve engines 10 can be coupled together to make a multiple cylinder engine 10.

With reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 of the preferred drawing, the operating cycle is now described.

The orientation of the sealed rotor valve engine 10 as depicted in the preferred drawing and all perspective and directional references used or ratios shown to describe the preferred drawing of the engine 10 and its operating cycle are used for the explanation of the preferred drawing. The use of such terms as top, bottom, left, right or horizontal is not meant to imply any restrictions on the ability of the engine 10 to function. It is not a requirement for the engine 10 to be positioned or pointed in any specific direction to operate properly and can operate mounted in any directional orientation.

FIG. 1 through FIG. 4 of the preferred drawing shows the sealed rotor valve engine 10 with one of the two casing end plates 29 removed. All of the internal parts are shown progressively moving through positions within the operating cycle. However, all further reference to these positions and the operating cycle will be as if the engine 10 is in operating condition with both casing end plates 29 attached and the oil 36, gas 37 and all of the internal pans sealed inside.

FIG. 1 of the preferred drawing shows the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 at a horizontal position. The partition 18 is centered in the rotor valve slot 23 with both of the partition tips 19 at the top of the cylinder lobes 15. The hot chamber 16 and cold chamber 17 are separated by the partition 18 and the seal between a rotor valve surface 25 and the bottom of the cylinder 14. This is the beginning of the rotor valve surface 25 to cylinder 14 seal and will last for 90° of rotation until a rotor valve notch 24 meets the bottom of the cylinder 14. The top of the partition 18 is slightly below the top of the transfer grooves 30 allowing the portion of the cold chamber 17 below the partition 18 and the portion of the cold chamber 17 above the partition 18 to connect and make the cold chamber 17 its largest volume. The hot chamber 16 is at its smallest volume. With no heating or cooling applied to the engine 10, the gas 37 and all of the parts within will be at ambient temperature and the gas 37 pressures within the engine 10 will be the same on be both sides of the partition 18.

Heat applied to the surface of the engine casing 11 at the heat location 12 will transfer through the wall of the engine casing 11 to the cylinder 14; the heat radiates from the cylinder 14 and increases the temperature of the gas 37 in the hot chamber 16. Heat applied continuously to the heat location 12 with a temperature higher than the temperature of the gas 37 will cause the gas 37 inside the hot chamber 16 to continuously expand and increase in pressure. The pressure from the heated gas 37 pushes against the cylinder 14, the rotor valve 22 and the partition face 21. The gas 37 in the rest of the engine 10 is at ambient temperature and is not increasing in pressure. This creates a pressure differential between the expanding gas 37 in the hot chamber 16 on one side of the partition 18 and the non-expanding gas 37 in the cold chamber 17 on the other side.

Cooling applied to the surface of the engine casing 11 at the cool location 13 will reduce the temperature of the engine casing 11 and cylinder 14 to below the temperature of the gas 37 within the cold chamber 17. The gas 37 transfers heat out through the cooled cylinder 14 and the engine casing 11 and then removed by the cooling source. Cooling applied continuously to the cool location 13 with a temperature lower than the temperature of the gas 37 will cause the gas 37 inside the cold chamber 17 to continuously contract and decreases in pressure. This increases the pressure differential between the two chambers. The partition face 21 is the highest point of leverage being pushed on by the expanding gas 37. As the force on the partition face 21 becomes enough to overcome the mechanical and inertial resistance of the internal parts the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 will start to rotate. The partition face 21 moves away from the heated side of the engine 10 and moves towards the cooled side. The sealed rotor valve engine 10 is self-starting from any rotational position. It is very sensitive to the pressure differential created by the heating and cooling applied to it. No external mechanical starting assistance such as a starter-motor is required.

FIG. 2 of the preferred drawing shows the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 at 45° of rotation past the horizontal position. With continued heating and cooling applied, the gas 3″ in the hot chamber 16 continues to expand and the gas 37 in the cold chamber 17 continues to contract. The hot chamber 16 increases in volume as the cold chamber 17 decreases in volume. The partition face 21 increases in surface area and leverage as it is pushed towards the cooled side of the engine 10. The rotor surface 25 continues the seal at the bottom of the cylinder 14. The transfer grooves 30 allow the gas 37 in the lower part of the cold chamber 17 to move past the partition 18 and mix with the gas in 37 the upper part.

FIG. 3 of the preferred drawing shows the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 at 90° of rotation past the horizontal position. The pressure differential remains and the hot chamber 16 continues to increases in volume as the cold chamber 17 continues to decreases in volume. The partition face 21 is at its largest surface area and highest leverage. The rotor valve surface 25 is about to move past the bottom of the cylinder 14 which will allow a rotor valve notch 24 to open a passageway. The transfer grooves 30 complete the moving of gas 37 from lower part of the cold chamber 17 to the upper part, and will now assist in the transfer of condensed gas 37 from. the cooled side of the engine 10 to the heated side.

FIG. 4 of the preferred drawing shows the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 at 135° past the horizontal position. The hot chamber 16 approaches its largest volume and the cold chamber 17 approaches its smallest. The partition face 21 is decreasing in surface area but it still remains the highest point of leverage being pushed on. The rotor valve notch 24 has fully opened a passageway at the bottom of the cylinder 14. Above the partition 18, the heated gas 37 continues to expand. Below the partition 18, the cooled gas 37 continues to contract as it is being transferred from the cold chamber 17 through the open passageway to the heated side of the engine 10 with the assistance of the transfer grooves 30.

FIG. 1 of the preferred drawing shows the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 returned to a horizontal position. With the closing of the passageway by a rotor valve surface 25 at the bottom of the cylinder, the hot chamber 16 returns to its smallest volume and the cold chamber 17 returns to its largest volume. The heated and expanded gas 37 that was in the hot chamber 16 has become the gas 37 being cooled in the cold chamber 17. The cooled and condensed gas 37 that was in the cold chamber 17 has become the gas 37 being heated in the hot chamber 16. The cooled and condensed gas 37 in the lower part of the cold chamber 17 that was not transferred to the hot chamber 16 before the passageway closed 14 is about to be mixed with gas 37 in the upper part of the cold chamber 17 through the transfer grooves 30. The cycle is starting over again but this time the gas 37 throughout the engine 10 is not at ambient temperature. The pressure differential is now greater than when the engine 10 first started. With continued heating and cooling applied, the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 will continue to rotate but with greater force. Every 180° of rotation from the horizontal position and returning to the horizontal position is the ending of one cycle and the beginning of another.

Resistance applied to the rotation of the axle 28 from an external source will cause the rate of rotation for the partition 18 and rotor valve 22 to decrease. The gas 37 in the hot chamber 16 will have more time to increase in temperature and pressure, and the gas 37 in the cold chamber 17 will have more time to decrease in temperature and pressure. This increases the pressure differential within the engine 10 therefore increasing the force to the partition face 21. The more resistance that is applied to the rotation of the axle 28, the more the sealed rotor valve engine 10 will increase the output force to the axle 28. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A sealed rotor valve engine comprising a rotor valve offset to one side within a cylinder at close proximity to the surface of said cylinder said rotor valve having recessed notches whereby said notches are removed to a depth from the surface of said rotor valve wherein said rotor valve further comprising corresponding protruding surfaces between said rotor valve notches, an axle base and axle that holds said rotor valve together as a single part, a partition that separates the heated gas from the cooled gas, cylinder lobes that allow said partition to rotate within said cylinder, transfer grooves that transfer gas past said partition, casing end plates that seal said cylinder within a casing that encloses the internal parts of said sealed rotor valve engine.
 2. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said rotor valve during its rotation within close proximity to the surface of said cylinder by means of said rotor valve notches cycle open a passageway whereby said rotor valve notches allow the transfer of gas from one chamber within said cylinder to another chamber within said cylinder and enclosed sealed casing.
 3. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said rotor valve during its rotation within close proximity to the surface of said cylinder by means of a said corresponding protruding rotor valve surfaces cycle closed a passageway whereby said rotor valve surfaces block the transfer of gas from one chamber within said cylinder to another chamber within said cylinder and enclosed sealed casing.
 4. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said axle base and axle are part of said rotor valve whereby said axle base holds said rotor valve together as a single part, said rotor valve, said axle base and said axle all move together as a single part during rotation.
 5. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said partition separates the heated gas on one side of said partition and said rotor valve from the cooled gas on the other side of said partition and said rotor valve within said cylinder and enclosed sealed casing.
 6. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said cylinder lobes are part of the shape of said cylinder whereby said cylinder lobes provide relief from binding during the sliding and eccentric rotation of said partition while allowing the tips of said partition to maintain continuous contact with said cylinder.
 7. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said partition comprising tips that are flexible and/or pliable whereby said flexible and/or pliable partition tips aid in maintaining a seal with the surface of said cylinder during rotation within said enclosed sealed casing.
 8. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine casing end plates enclose said casing whereby said casing end plates seal the internal parts of said sealed rotor valve engine within said casing.
 9. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said casing end plates having transfer grooves that are indentations into the inside surface of said casing end plates whereby said transfer grooves connect the lower portion of the cold chamber with the upper portion of said cold chamber and assist in the transfer of cooled gas to the heated side of said sealed rotor valve engine when necessary during operation.
 10. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said cylinder having transfer grooves that are indentations into the surface said cylinder whereby said transfer grooves connect the lower portion of the cold chamber with the upper portion of said cold chamber and assist in the transfer of cooled gas to the heated side of said sealed rotor valve engine when necessary during operation.
 11. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein two or more said sealed rotor valve engines can be attached together to create a multiple cylinder sealed rotor valve engine.
 12. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine is capable of operating properly when positioned or pointed in any direction and can be mounted in any directional orientation.
 13. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine requires no starter motor or external starting assistance and is self starting with only external heat and external cooling applied.
 14. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein the rotation of said partition and said rotor valve is sensitive to pressure differentials within said sealed rotor valve engine whereby said sealed rotor valve engine can operate using a low heating to cooling temperature differential.
 15. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine can be powered when used in combination with an external heat source comprised of geothermal heat.
 16. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine can be powered when used in combination with an external heat source comprised of chemicals reactive to each other and mixed together to generate heat.
 17. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine can be powered when used in combination with an external heat source comprised of a nuclear reaction to generate heat.
 18. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine can be powered when used in combination with an external cooling source comprised of chemicals reactive to each other and mixed together to create cooling.
 19. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine can be powered when used in combination with an external cooling source comprised of evaporator cooling.
 20. A sealed rotor valve engine as described in claim 1 wherein said sealed rotor valve engine can be powered when used in combination with an external cooling source comprised of a bulk cool water supply for cooling. 